By Chuks Eke
Chief Godwin Ubaka Okeke, Chairman of GUO Group of Companies Limited, has commended all the youths in all parts of Igbo land for keeping patient since the conviction of the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPoB, Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment barely a month ago.
Okeke however cautioned that the patience exhibited all along since the November judgement of Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja should not be misconstrued as an act of cowardice and as such, all hands must be on deck to grant Kanu a political pardon as quickly as possible because of the volatile nature of the conviction.
In an interview with newsmen at his GRA residence in Onitsha, weekend, Okeke expressed the hope that while the patience of Igbo youths lasted, authorities concerned should begin to consider the quickest way of applying a political solution to Kanu’s travail, even as it is certain that he has appealed against his conviction by the lower court.
“I doff my hat for Igbo youths. Let them remain patient while relevant authorities like the Southeast Governors, the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, other good spirited groups and individuals lobby for a presidential pardon for Kanu and I am calling on Mr. President, Bola Tinubu to consider the plight of these eminent groups and personalities quite appropriate”.
“Let our Igbo Governors and Ohanaeze People pursue this amnesty angle to a logical conclusion and ensure that they get it as quickly as possible. If along the line there is need for logistics, we in the transport industry can be of help to achieve the desired results which is amnesty for Kanu and I feel that the earlier we do that the better for us all before our Igbo lose their patience”, said Okeke.
On the issue of multiple checkpoints along the highways in the Southeast region with attendant extortions, Okeke stated that it is far better for motorists and commuters to encounter police and military checkpoints on our highways, particularly in the Southeast geopolitical zone of the country than to encounter armed bandits and kidnappers.
He said it is better in the sense that security agencies at various checkpoints are demanding just a token to assist in assuaging the risks they are taking to protect the lives and properties of innocent citizens, while bandits and kidnappers abduct, kill, main and demand huge ransom which is not even a guarantee to free the kidnap victims.
Okeke who spoke against the backdrop of rising protests against incessant roadblocks and the attendant extortion of various sums of money by our security agencies, insisted that it is better for a traveler or travelers to part with N200 or more as the case may be in various checkpoints than to run into a group of bandits or kidnappers who will kill or abduct and demand millions of naira as ransom.
According to Okeke, some of the security agencies would even be magnanimous to give you change incase you have N500 or N1000, unlike bandits who will even slap you for dishing out only N1000 from your pocket.
“Can’t you see that our security personnel are considered to be more humane in giving you change or balance of your money on a check point than having an encounter with armed bandits which usually end up in jeopardy”.
Besides, Okeke who lamented that police authorities have eventually withdrawn police guards from Very Important Personnel, VIPs without withdrawing those attached to politicians, noted that there is clear evidence of poor remuneration on our security personnel who he said mount the check points at the risk of their own lives, which often times end up with sudden attacks on them by the armed bandits, suggesting that we should see our security personnel on road blocks more as our protectors than as extortionists.
He however advised the security operatives to be more civil and have a better manner of approach to enable the general public feel sense of humor whenever they approach check points on our highways.
